Episode 5

The alarm clock rang at eight in the morning, but I had been awake for hours. Actually, I barely slept. Every time I turned over in bed, the emptiness beside me seemed to scream louder, reminding me of everything I didn't want to face.

My cell phone rested on the nightstand, displaying the last call attempt: 2:47 AM. I called. I called so many times I lost count. And he… didn't answer any.

I got up with my heart racing. I walked through the house in silence, searching every room as if he could be there, hidden in some corner. On the sofa. In the kitchen. On the balcony. But the house was empty, still, cold. Leonardo had disappeared. And this time, without a trace.

"Where are you, Leonardo?" I whispered to myself, my voice failing and my eyes burning.

I tried to call again. The phone rang, rang... and went straight to voicemail. Again.

Panic began to settle in my chest.

"What if something happened? What if he had an accident? What if..."

At that moment, I heard the gate open. I ran to the window. I recognized my parents' car and went to the door, unlocking it before they even rang the doorbell.

"Mom! Dad!" I exclaimed, relieved and terrified at the same time. "Have you seen Leonardo? He... he didn't come home yesterday. He didn't answer my calls. I'm going crazy!"

My mother stared at me with a look that chilled me to the bone. A look filled with hurt, pain... disappointment. My father stood beside her, arms crossed, his face tense, rigid, like I had never seen him before.

"Yes, we saw him, Samantha," my mother replied firmly.

"Thank God! Where is he? Why did he do this? He disappeared, didn't say anything!" I said quickly, desperation etched in every word.

They came in. Dad closed the door calmly, but the silence that settled in seemed to scream.

"Samantha..." my mother began, her voice lower now. "Don't you really know why he didn't come back?"

"What do you mean? Of course not!" I retorted, trying to keep control. "He left without saying anything. This has never happened."

Dad let out a strong sigh, one that carried too much weight.

"He was at our house this morning. And he told us everything."

"Everything... what?" I asked, feeling my body freeze.

"That you are involved with another man," my mother said directly. "That you betrayed him. That he saw it. With his own eyes."

I felt my legs weaken.

"He... he saw?"

"He saw, Samantha!" my father exploded, finally. "And even so, he had the decency to come to us with respect. With pain in his eyes, but convinced."

I shook my head, as if I could erase reality from then on.

"No... it can't end like this. I need to talk to him. I need to explain..."

I started walking around the room, aimlessly. Trying to control the despair that grew like a fire.

"Explain what?" my mother looked at me, now with tears in her eyes. "That you destroyed the heart of a man who always loved you? That you threw away everything you built together because of an illusion?"

"I know I was wrong! I know!" I shouted, unable to hold back the tears any longer. "But I need to try! I need to talk to him!"

"It's no use," my father said, his voice low, but cutting. "He doesn't want to see you anymore, Samantha. And he asked us to say that in no uncertain terms. His lawyer will contact you. And he will send someone to pick up his things."

I collapsed on the sofa, bringing my hands to my face. The crying came silently, heavily, shamefully.

"He hates me..." I whispered, feeling the bitter taste of guilt in my mouth.

My mother approached and touched my shoulder gently.

"I don't know if he hates you. But I know he gave up. And sometimes, daughter... people just give up because they loved too much."

Her words cut deeper than any judgment.

I stayed there, crying, not knowing what to say. Unable to imagine how all this had gone so far. I thought I was in control. That I could separate everything, balance what I felt and what I hid. But now... now everything had collapsed.

And there was no turning back.

I raised my face, still trembling, trying to take a deep breath.

"Mom... Dad..." my voice came out weak. "I don't know how I'm going to manage to stay here. The house is rented, the rent is expensive, and now with the divorce... I can't afford it all alone."

My father looked at me coldly.

"And what do you want, Samantha?"

"I thought... I thought if I could go back home. Just until I stabilize. Reorganize myself..."

My mother took a step back, as if the words had hit her. Dad crossed his arms and took a deep breath.

"You want to come back home after everything you've done?"

"I have no other option!" I replied, already feeling the humiliation hit.

"No?" he retorted harshly. "Then ask your lover to pay your rent! Since he was good enough for you to cheat on your husband, let him be good enough to support you now."

"Dad..." I tried to say, frightened by the tone.

"Don't call me Dad now," he cut. "You know what hurts the most? It's not just the betrayal. It's seeing that you threw away a decent man. A man who loved you."

My mother, with a choked voice, added:

"Leonardo wasn't perfect, daughter. But he respected you. He took care of you. He put you at the center of everything. You had what many women dream of having... and you threw it all away."

I looked at them, feeling my face burn with shame. I tried to speak, but no words came out. There was only the weight of what I had done.

"We raised you to be a woman of value," my mother continued. "And today, honestly, I don't recognize the daughter I have in front of me."

"Let's go, Mary," said my father. "We've heard enough."

My mother still gave me one last look — full of sadness, disappointment... and pain.

"I hope that one day you understand the magnitude of the mistake you made. And that you can forgive yourself... because I don't know when we will be able to."

They left without saying goodbye. And the sound of the gate closing behind them hit me like a sentence.

I stayed there, alone.

I looked at the room, which now seemed cold, soulless, strange. I touched the back of the sofa, remembering the days when Leonardo would pick me up after a tiring day. I remembered the Saturday breakfasts, the sound of his laughter echoing through the kitchen.

Now everything was silent.

I sat down slowly, hugged my knees and let the tears flow.

"I destroyed everything."

The love, the respect... even my family.

Leonardo gave me everything.

And now, I had nothing left.

Not him.

Not even myself.

And for the first time, I felt real fear.

Fear of what I had become.

Fear of the emptiness I created myself.

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